Apocalypse Wow, Pt. 17

"Ah," he said, smiling warmly down at her as he extended his hand towards her, "a lucky one, no?"

She took his hand and tried turning her wince of pain to a sheepish smile as he helped her up.

"Again," he said, wasting no time in resuming his stance. Penny was still out of breath and her mind worked rapidly to try to figure out what had happened. The maneuver she'd tried was a good one, one she'd used to great success plenty of times before. She was especially fond of it because she knew it to be one that was difficult to be turned around. It could be defended, yes, but using it against her was not something she'd ever encountered before. And still, she couldn't understand how he'd done it. One moment she was moving to strike, the next he was slamming her into the ground.

She shook her head again, dismissing her failure. She must have slipped, like he said, it was just luck. You got this, she told herself, he's only little.

So she tried another tack, more conservative this time, edging forward a little more slowly to close the distance between them further before she struck again.

"You got this Pen," she heard from the circle around her, Danny's voice she thought, and it was all she needed. She faked quickly to the left before coming up fast with her right leg, aimed squarely for Pierre's jaw. The speed of her movement was always something her teachers praised, something her fellow trainees worked hard to emulate and even as her leg flew through the air, she knew she had him.

That was why it was all the more difficult to understand when she felt some force grab her, twist her, slam her into the ground once again, on her front this time. Her breath exploded from her again and, a moment after impact, she was aware that Pierre was on top of her, pinning her to the floor. Because of the shock of the speed of his movement, it took her a second to notice that there was something strange about his body as it pressed into the flesh of her back. It was, she thought, as if it wasn't a person holding her down, but something solid, totally hard, something immoveable, like his body was made of wood, or steel.

"Maybe not so lucky," he whispered into her ear before she felt him lift himself off her. She closed her eyes and grunted and her movement to turn over was slow and labored. Pierre was smiling down at her again and, for a moment, she wanted to hate him. For an instant, her body prepared to spring at him a third time. Somehow though she was able to recognize the warning in his face. The smile she saw there wasn't one of triumph or scorn, it was, much to Penny's surprise, obviously encouraging. The kindness in his eyes that had so disappointed her earlier was still there too, though she was very glad of it now. He nodded quickly at her as he offered his hand again.

"Good, thank you Penny," he said as she stood and brushed herself off. "And my apologies."

"No... no... it's...," she tried to reply, though her breath still wouldn't settle.

"It's OK, get your breath," he said, and she felt a solid hand on her shoulder as she bent over instinctively to breath. "Penny is the best, yes?" he went on, addressing the entire group. "She is the best fighter among you. So says Toni, so says the rest of your instructors. People I know. People I trust. They know this. So do you. And still, two times I am able to knock her down with my first attempt. Two times she attacks me and I knock her down. Instantly. How is this? Is this because she is not good? She is not the best?"

As she felt her breath return slowly, Penny glanced up at Pierre and felt the eyes of her fellow trainees on her, felt them shift uneasily.

"No," Pierre said firmly, "this is not why. This is because, like Toni say before, we are always learning. You are beginning the final phase of your training. Soon you will be Scouts. You will take responsibility for the security and the wellbeing of your community. And of mine as well. Of all the Network. And you will take responsibility for the exploration. You will make the world bigger every day. And every day you must learn. Every day you must be better than you were the day before. These are big responsibilities, hard. So now, your training is hard. Harder than ever before. You must be ready. And you will be. The techniques we will learn together these days you have never seen before. This is why I can knock Penny down like this. So you will learn. And you will be better. And you will never be knocked down like this again. Is this not right Penny?"

Penny straightened herself, finally, and felt Pierre's eyes on her and, almost despite herself, felt a smile spread across her lips.

"Damn right," she said.

"Good," he said, returning her broad smile. "We begin!"

When the session ended more than three hours later, Penny was surprised that she wasn't exhausted. She knew she should be and put it down to adrenaline. Very quickly, she and the others were able to recognize that what they were learning from Pierre was the most advanced training they'd ever received. But more than that, they were able for it. Within an hour, Pierre had taught her the two moves he'd used to knock her down, and within another hour, she was well on her way to mastering them and, just as importantly, being able to counter them. Even Anh, the smallest of them, the one who struggled with this kind of training the most, was getting it. Penny had never seen quite the same grin of happiness on Anh's face when she managed to pin Danny underneath her for the first time ever, his arm bent painfully behind his back.

So there was a good degree of excitement as the trainees discussed the session in the showers afterwards. Penny suggested dinner and a drink in the Meeting Place after, to continue their post mortem. Anh and Danny cried off, Anh insisting that she take Danny to the Free House to make up for almost breaking his arm. Rosa and Sam made their excuses too, Rosa was on bedtime duty at home and Sam said he was just too tired and sore to do anything but fall into his bed.

So she was alone as she made her way the short distance from the gym to the Meeting Place, her mind churning on the events of the day. Pierre had certainly taken her down a peg or two, she thought, though she was unsure if that had been his intention. Still, she was glad that his ability, both as a fighter and as an instructor, had proved to be just as extraordinary as she'd been led to believe.

And once or twice as she walked, her mind dwelled on just how hard his body had felt when he was pressed against her, how strong his arms were when he threw her down and held her down. She smirked to herself and shook her head as she felt her body quiver at the thought.

"Hey Pen, how you doing today?" Marty King asked as she made her way towards her usual stool at the bar.

"I'm good Marty," she replied, "a little stiff. They've got this guy in from La Pee for combat training, he knows his stuff, I can tell you."

"You mean Pierre?"

"Yeah, you know him?"

"A little, met him a couple of times, he's been in town before. He was in here last night actually. Nice guy, always smiling. You hungry?"

"Sure, thanks. And a beer too."

"Comin' right up."

The warm and hearty stew that was the staple of the Meeting Place never failed to rejuvenate Penny and she was well on her way to seeing the bottom of her bowl when she felt a presence next to her.

"May I join?"

She almost spit out a mouthful of stew when she saw Pierre's smiling face next to her.

"O-... of course," she managed eventually.

"Thank you," he replied, taking the stool next to hers. "Just a small beer s'il vous plait Marty."

"Sure thing Pierre," Marty replied.

"You should try the stew," Penny observed, unsure of whether or not she should continue to eat now that he'd joined her.

"It is good, I know. It always is," Pierre replied, "but I will have dinner later with Toni's house and I must preserve my appetite. She is an amazing cook. Can cook with anything, like a Scout."

"Yeah, she's pretty awesome."

"Please Penny, continue, finish your stew, do not stop on my account."

Penny smiled a little awkwardly as she brought the spoon to her lips and she tried to observe him from the corner of her eye. He'd evidently showered too and changed, although the simple linen clothes he wore were much the same as those he'd worn earlier. For a moment, she allowed herself to recognize that she was a little star struck, a little intimidated. Ordinarily, it was hard to shut her up but here she was unsure of what to say, and when there was so much she wanted to say, so many questions she wanted to ask.

"You did well today," he said eventually, taking a casual sip of his beer.

"Thanks... I mean... I guess..."

"I am sorry again Penny that I had to use you as my example at the beginning. I hope I did not embarrass you."

"No, no, of course not. I totally understand. And it was... honestly, it was really great. I don't think I've ever learned so much from one session before, the whole team too."

As soon as she'd said it, Penny was acutely aware that she was grinning stupidly and felt herself blush.

"Well I am glad Penny. For my part, can I say, I do not think I have ever had a student who learns as quickly or as well as you. Toni was right, you are a special one."

Penny felt her face get hotter, but Pierre kept taking. At some point, Marty collected her bowl and brought her a second beer but she wasn't really conscious of it, so engrossed was she in their conversation. From training to combat technique, they'd moved on to other Scouting disciplines and she'd even managed to extract an anecdote or two from Pierre's time in the field.

"So I guess," she said as he finished one such tale, "I mean, with you spending so much time away from home and all, do you... you know, do you miss it? La Plage, I mean? I wonder what it'll be like sometimes, you know, being away for so long? My friend, my old room mate Luke, he's a Servicer. He's actually out on rotation right now. He told me, when he came home after his first rotation, he told me he hadn't realized how much he'd missed Haven until he came home. That there was no feeling like it, coming back through the gate, seeing everyone there to meet them."

"I think your friend is wise Penny," Pierre observed with a warm smile, taking another sip of beer. "You know in French we have no word for 'home'? Not the same as in English anyway. There is no place like home, I think you say. This is good, I think. We should have this in French too."

Penny smiled warmly at him and clinked her glass against his when he offered it.

"You know Penny, no matter how many times I leave La Plage, no matter how far I travel, no matter out there or, for example, to here or another community, it is always surprising how I must, ah, adjust, you know?"

"Like, you mean things are so different?" Although she'd never been there, Penny was well aware of just how different La Plage was to Haven, and not just because of it's riverside location. Until Luke had actually been there and been able to tell her about it first hand, as he could about all the communities of the Network from his first rotation, she didn't know if she'd really believed what people said about La Plage, The Lake too. But, according to Luke, it was all true, and then some.

"Exactly so, yes," Pierre said, nodding. "Do not mistake Penny, I am not saying that I do not like it here in Haven, of course you have a beautiful community, kind people, good food and drink but..."

He glanced at his half full glass of beer as he trailed off, his eyes drifting slowly to Penny. Just for an instant, she was sure she'd seen his eyes move down along her body and she felt her face get warm again as she edged herself forward on her stool, closer to him. Involuntarily, her mind wondered again just what a body as hard as his would look like up close, what it would feel like pressed against her bare skin.

"So, give me an example," she said, her mouth curling up on one side into a grin, "like, something that's different, like right now."

"Well," Pierre replied quickly, depositing his glass back on the counter and turning his body to face her completely, "I suppose it is odd that... well... I am here Penny, in Haven I mean, I am here nearly two whole days, two days, and yet I do not fuck. No fuck. Two days. Where I come from this would be very strange."

"Well you know Pierre, that'd be pretty unusual for plenty of people round here too."

"I imagine but, in La Plage, for everyone. And visitors especially. We would see it as a bad image for our community if a visitor arrives and for two days, he is not offered even so much as a blowjob!"

Penny laughed but she wasn't totally sure that Pierre was joking and his face remained pretty serious.

"I do not joke Penny, this is true. Every time I come here to Haven, and to Simonia and the other communities, I come here, to the Meeting Place, always here, the heart of any community and I see, what?" he said, waving his arms around at the vast interior.

"What?"

"No one is fucking!" he said, holding his hands up as if in desperation, "the whole Meeting Place and I never see anyone fucking. So strange..."

"Well, we, uh," Penny replied, still smiling, "we have the Free House, you know, you'll always find plenty of people fucking in there."

"Yes, this I know, and I have been there myself, on previous visits, but still, it is strange. Sex is a part of life, part of us all, why must you hide it away behind closed doors, dark windows?"

His face had softened and Penny could see that same warm smile there again now and she was aware again of that kindness in his eyes.

"To be honest Pierre," she said, "I really don't know. You're probably asking the wrong Havener. La Pee sounds like a place I'd really like."

"And it would like you Penny, of this I am sure."

The feeling, the urge really, came upon her suddenly enough that it actually made her feel light headed for a second. Still, that didn't stop her putting her hand on his thigh, sliding it slowly higher, as she leaned her body closer to him.

"But..." she said, lowing her voice as their heads moved towards one another, "here in Haven we really pride ourselves on making our visitors welcome, making them feel at home I mean. So I'm really sorry that no one has done that for you yet. Maybe you'll allow me? You know, to make amends? Repair the image of my community's hospitality in your eyes. I hope it's not too late."

"It is never too late Penny, never. What is it that you suggest?"

"Well... I know you mentioned a blowjob but I thought... maybe you could... fuck me?"

"Right here?" he said, without missing a beat, and Penny laughed as she slid off her stool.

"I don't think that's such a good idea actually," she said, taking his hand in hers and easing him gently from his stool, "not everyone is as enlightened as you and me."

"I see. So it is the Free House then, yes?"

"Is that OK?" she said softly, turning to face him and allowing her hand to rest on the solid mass of his chest.

"To be honest Penny, now that you have asked me, I must tell I would fuck you anywhere you want me to."

Penny was a little surprised at how quickly after he'd said this and she really noticed for the first time the desire in his eyes that she felt that twinge between her legs and they pressed themselves together involuntarily as she swallowed hard. She called a farewell to Marty but neither waited for nor heard his reply.

They didn't exactly run to the Free House but they didn't take their time either. All the way there Penny was trying to come up with possible alternative venues should they find all the rooms taken. One thing she was certain of though was that, one way or another, she was going to feel Pierre inside her before the night was through.

As it happened, they were fortunate, taking the last remaining room at the Free House and Penny chided herself for giggling with excitement as she led Pierre up the stairs.

"Hmm, yes," she heard him say behind her as she walked into the room, removing her clothes as she went, "this is very nice, just as I remember."

"We take good care of this place," she said, turning to face him as she pulled her top over her head.

"And you take very good care of this as well I see," he said, stepping closer to her before running his hand down along her arm. "Your body Penny... it is... exquisite."

Penny felt herself blush and she noted again, being so close to him, that it felt a little odd that she was taller than him, that she had to angle her head down just slightly to kiss him instead of up.

She was surprised at the tenderness of his touch as her lips opened to his and she felt his tongue play against hers. She didn't resist the urge to move her hands onto him at the same time, feeling again that steel hardness. When she reached down to pull at his top he lifted his arms to help her get it over his head and when she looked down so she could see his body, really see it, for the first time, she licked her lips. For a moment, her brain tried to figure out ways what she was seeing could be real. She imagined he'd been in some kind of terrible accident and had his entire torso replaced by a machine, that was one idea. So she was laughing at that thought as she allowed her hands to roam across his chest and his abdomen as she gazed at him, every muscle in perfect definition, in perfect symmetry with all the rest, all perfectly hard and smooth, just generally perfect.

So her mouth was even more eager when he kissed her again and she felt his hands on her own body in turn, running slowly and gently across her small but firm breasts, gliding softly over her hardening nipples. She broke from their kiss and gasped a little as she felt him slide over her pussy, felt her own moistness against his fingers as he began to rub her slowly. And when she allowed her own hand to drift inside the waistband of the loose linen pants he wore, she quickly felt that his cock was just as hard as the rest of him.

His movement was so fast that she was reminded of how he'd knocked her down earlier in the day, twice. Without knowing how exactly, she suddenly found herself with her back against him, turned around completely. She felt his hand back on her pussy and his breath was hot on her neck as he kissed her there and walked them the few steps to the bed. He turned them around and Penny felt herself being eased down as he sat on the edge, pushing himself back a little, with her in his lap or at least between his legs.

She closed her eyes as she leaned back against him and felt the pressure and force of the hand he had over her pussy get stronger and when her hips moved just a little to roll and push back against him, she felt his free arm move across her chest, holding her still. For a moment, the pressure of his grip didn't really register but then she became aware quite suddenly that she almost couldn't move at all, and her eyes shot open as he angled his hand and slid two fingers inside her.

"If you tell me to," he said, whispered really, into her ear, "I will stop."

She understood what he was saying, had never really doubted it, but she was starting to become aware that something was different about what was happening compared to the sexual encounters she was used to. For one thing, he was about as good with this fingers as anyone who'd ever touched her and she could hear as well as feel just how wet she was as he started to rock his hand against her, his fingers pressing up into her at the same time.

"Do you understand Penny?" he said again, softer still, "I will stop if you tell me to."

Her breath was coming pretty hard now and her eyes were closed again. She wanted to do something with her arms or her legs or both, to move them or touch something, grab something, but she was almost totally immobile in his grip as he worked her. She thought she shook her head but she wasn't sure.